Mechanism and method for introducing contents into cartons



R. W. VON SYDOW MECHANISM AND METHOD FOR INTRODUCING CONTENTS INTO CARTONS May 9, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 27, 1945 ATTORNEYS,

May 9, 1950 R. w. voN sYDow MECHANISN AND METHOD FOR INTRoDucING CONTENTS INT0 cARToNs 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 27, 1943 am oa .r m N5 o u/a A WM MM w Patented `May 9, 1950 UNITED S'1.213.717'ESy PATENT OFFICE MECHNISM-AND METHOD FOR. INTRODUC ING` CONTENTS INTO CART-ONS a corporation: of` Ohio Application October 27,

I2 Claims.-v

MyV invention has to do with equipmentfor lhandling folding cartons, and in particularwith means for'introducingcontents intoerected cartons prior to closing the end4 thereof through which the-contentsare introduced. It was developed primarily for use-inccrmection with a machine fo-r setting upso-called click top cartons as described in the co-pending application of William A. Ringler; Walter E. Soo'y and myself en- 1943, SealN. 507,810

2 nism is simpler than those heretofore devised, more positiveV in its operation, more accurateV and less likely to get out of order.

It is anV object of my invention to provide an apparatus wherein content charges or elements are rapidlyl introduced intoV cartons which are moving from a rotating holderffor the charges.

It is an object of my invention to provide means foraccurately locating the content charges titled Machine for forming reclosable cartons, in the holding means, and hence with respect to Serial No. 482,806, filed April'1'2, 1943, now'Patent the cartons as they move along. It is also,l my Number 2,441,445, dated May 11, 1948. objectto provide improved and greatly sim'pli'ed- This machine withdraws tubed cartons from means for spreading the end flaps of la carton a stack, erects them, positionsl them between to permit the introduction ofits contents, in a blocks on a conveyer by which they are movedin mechanism in whichV the direction of initialv` a path adjacent various operating instrumental-imcvement of the content-charges with respect to ties. Some of these instrrunentalitiesspread the the cartons', and the coaction of the holder with bottom naps so that the contents may be introat least one of the naps, combine to make cerd'uced and later reclose and seal the bottom, the tain that the flapsdo not interfere with the incarton having at its bottom aV seal end closure. troduction-of the contents. Concurrently with these operationsV otherinstru- These and'other objectsy of my invention which mentalities fold and glue an openableand rewill be set forth hereinafter, or will be apparent closable topfor'the carton. to one skilled in the art upon reading these speci- My present invention does not have to do-witlr iications, I- accomplish by that certain arrangeoperations uponr thebottom or top closure element of parts, and in that mode of operation of ments; of thev carton, excepting the spreading of bottom closure flaps to permit introduction of the contents as will hereinafter appear; whereifore I do not herein describethef general aspects of the machine referred to. But my invention as 3 herein set forth is not confined in its utility to that machine, nor tothe specic carton described, nor to the introduction of contents into a carton at the bottom, being applicable to such introduction at either end. Rather it applies generally tothe problem of introducing contents into cartons when the cartonsA are erected and moving along in a path wherein theyv are not necessarily horizontally oriented, but may be anguflarly or vertically disposed, and whereinA the means for moving the cartons may be any suit- Iable means for the purpose.

While the charges of contents fed into the cartons in the machine of the said patent are prepackaged, or wrapped charges of smoking tobacco, the present invention is applicable to the introduction of unitary articles, assemblies of articles which can be handled las a unit, preformed block-like charges of material, and prewrapped or bagged materials, all as distinguished from loose, powdered, granular, or ilaky :bulk materials.

The principal object of my invention is the provision of a new and improved mechanism for introducing contents into cartons, which mechawhich I shall now describe an exemplary em-r bodiment.

Reference is made to the drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a pla-n View of the feed end ofa 0 machine of the type hereinabove mentioned, and'- showing the features of my invention,

Figure 2 is a front' eleva-tional View of the' Same'.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 3 3; of Figure l, on an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 isv a fragmentary crosssectional view taken on line ll-fiV of Figure 2.

Figure 5visa fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figures l and 6.

Figurel 6 isacross-sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 5.

Figure '7V is a fragmentary cross-sectionall view taken on line "l-l of Figure 6.

Figure 8Y is a` fragmentary view similar to Figure 6 with the parts in an earlier position.

Referring to the figures, A is the top of a machine forming a table, At the feed end of the machine a stack of tuberiA and collapsedY carton blanks, one of which is shown at I, is placed in a hopper 2, whence by suitable mechanism 2a, the cartons are withdrawn one by one, erected,

i. e.. squared up, thenpositioned :between blocks 3 affixed to a chain or other conveyer mechanism Il?. Then the erect-'edy cartons are moved'- along a path in the course of which they will be filled and closed. The particular mechanism for withdrawing the cartons from the stack, erecting them individually and positioning them between the blocks 3 of the moving conveyer 4, forms no limitation upon the present invention. This mechanism is more fully described and claimed in my co-pending application entitled Means for erecting and positioning cartons, Serial No. 507,811, filed October 27, 1943, now Patent Number 2,429,536, dated October 21, 1947.

On a sidewise extension of the machine table, indicated at A', I aiix a stationary bushing or bearing member 5, in which a stub shaft E is rotatably mounted. To this shaft I affix a holding and transporting means for the content charges in the form of a star wheel 1. The wheel is notched at regular intervals as at 8, to accept the content charges; but the rear edge 9 of each notch (the wheel rotatingclockwise in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1), is made somewhat longer than the longitudinal dimension of the content charges. The other edge of the notch is shorter; but the intermediate portion of the wheel has an edge I which runs outwardly to meet the end of the longer notch edge as shown.

To the stub shaft 6, and as a means for driving it and the wheel 1, I aix a sprocket I I, which is driven by a chain I2, so that the wheel 1 turns in a timed relationship with the movement of the conveyer 4. The chain I2 may be driven in any way desired, or the stub shaft 5 may be otherwise driven. In Figure 2 I have shown the chain I2 running over a sprocket I3 on a vertical stub shaft I4, which carries a bevel gear I5. A flap folder I6 is affixed to the shaft I4, and the shaft is driven by a bevel gear I1 on a shaft I8, which in turn is driven by a chain I9 from the glue pot drive of the machine of the patent first hereinabove mentioned. This arrangement enables me to drive a content element kicker mechanism by means of the chain I2, as will hereinafter be described.

A vertically extending hopper 20, for the content charges 2|, is affixed to the table A'. The sides and forward end of this hopper are raised suiciently above the level of the table top to permit one of the content charges to be withdrawn sidewise therebeneath; and the wheel 1 is so positioned that it turns in the space between the taf ble top and the lower ends of the side and forward walls of the hopper. Thus the wheel 1 acts as a means for withdrawing the content charges from the hopper. As the wheel turns beneath it, one of the content charges drops into one of the notches 8, and as the wheel turns further the leading edge 9 of the notch moves the content charge sidewise from beneath the stack, the intervening portion of the wheel meantime supporting the stack until the next content charge can drop into the next notch, and so on. As the content charges are moved arcuately by the wheel 1, they rest upon the table top.

It is necessary that the notches 8 be suiiiciently oversize to permit the content charges to fall freely into the notches but it is also necessary that the content charges be accurately positioned with respect to the leading edge 9 of each notch. For this purpose I provide spring pressed fingers for urging the content charges against the edge 9. There is one of these fingers 22 for each notch of the wheel 1. The fingers are in the form of levers pivoted as at 23, beneath the wheel 1, and to the wheel; and at each pivot there is a spring 24 which urges the outer end of the finger against its content charge. At the point where the content charges fall into the notches 8, from the hopper 20, it is necessary to get these fingers out of the way. To this end I afx a cam 25 to one side of the bearing 5 (Figure 2). 'Ihe length and position of this cam are such that as the notched parts of the wheel 1 pass beneath the hopper 2U, the fingers 22 are moved out of the way, as shown in Figure 2, but as soon as the wheel has moved a content charge from beneath the stack in the hopper, the nger is released by passing beyond the end of the cam 25, and it engages its content charge under gentle spring pressure, positioning the charge against the leading notch edge 9.

As the wheel 'I turns, charges are thus brought opposite the open ends of successive cartons on the conveyer 4. In the exemplary embodiment. the cartons have seal end aps at their lower ends, which aps extend generally in the planes of the side walls to which they are attached. It is necessary to move these flaps slightly out of the way, so that they will not interfere with the introduction of the content charges. The upper and lower seal end flaps, i. e., the iiaps attached to the side walls of the cartons in the exemplary embodiment, are moved upwardly and downwardly respectively by a stationary sweep indicated at 26 in Figure 1. The trailing closure ap, i. e., the flap attached to the trailing end wall of the carton, will be bent slightly backwardly by dragging on an intermediate portion of this sweep. The leading closure flap may also be bent backwardly slightly; but it will be noted that the content charges move into position in an arcuate path so that should the leading closure ap be displaced backwardly, the content charge will be brought into position behind it and will tend to move it out of the way, as clearly shown in Figure 8. Thus the leading ap cannot interfere with the introduction of the content charge. Meanwhile, the point of the wheel 1 formed by the juncture of edge 9 with edge I0, will have turned into position ahead of the trailing sealing flap, thus insuring that this ap cannot interfere with the introduction of the content charge. The upper and lower side wall flaps having been given an outward set by the sweep 26, will maintain their positions; but they may be held outwardly byl sweeps 15, if desired.

When a content charge, as at 2 Ia, is thus positioned with respect to a carton, it is rapidly introduced into the body of the carton by the action of a kicker. This kicker is in the form of a lever 21, pivoted as at 28, on the table top. A

, vertical stub shaft 29 is also rotatably mounted in a bearing on the table top. It carries a sprocket 30, which meshes with chain I2 as shown. The shaft 29 also has affixed to it a double-ended cam lever 3l, each end of which can actuate the kicker lever 21 in a clockwise direction. The forward end of the kicker lever is preferably provided with a cam follower in the form of pivoted roller 32. The kicker lever 21, as shown, lies beneath the wheel 1. It is urged in counterclockwise direction by a spring in a clockwise direction; and the rear end of the U lever thus acts rapidly to kick the content. charge 2id fully into the carton. The lever is thenl released by the cam 3l, and the spring 33 brings it into position again to introduce the neXt content charge into the next carton.

The pressure of the spring ngers 22 on the content charge is a light spring pressure, not suflicient to interfere with the movementA of the content charges as propelled by the lever 21; butl I have shown how a counterpart for the cam 25 at 25a, may be positioned as tov move the iingers 22 out of the way, at the time the kicking action takes place.

When the content charges have thus been inrocluced, the remaining operations on that end of the carton may be flap folding, glue applying, and pressing operations, formingv no limitationv upon my invention in its broadest aspect. It will be noted in Fig. 2, however, that a flap folding disk lil, notched as at Sita, may be employed to fold the rear-most sealing flap forwardly. This disk has a greater peripheral speed than the speed of travel of the cartons themselves on the conveyor d. The remainder of the seal end flaps may be folded by stationary sweeps in a manner which will be readily understood. My content charge introducing mechanism, of course, is applicable to the introduction of content charges into cartons having other than seal end, end closures, or to the introduction of content charges into sleeves devoid of end closure means.

Modications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit of it.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a machine of the character described, in combination with a conveyor for moving erected carton bodies in spaced relationship, along a path, a hopper for content elements, a notched wheel turning beneath the hopper and acting to withdraw content elements, one by one, from the said hopper, means for driving the wheel in timedrelationship with said first mentioned conveyor whereby the content elements are accurately positioned with respect to the open ends of said cartons, and means for propelling the content elements from the notches of'said wheel into said cartons.

2. In a machine of the character described, iny

draw content elements, one by one, from the said hopper, means for driving the wheel in timed relationship with said first mentioned conveyor whereby the content elements are accurately positioned with respect to the open ends of said cartons, means for propelling the content elements from the notches of said wheel into said cartons, said last mentioned means comprising a pivoted lever having an end lying opposite a content element when in position for introduction, and driven means operating in timed sequence with the movements of said wheel for rocking said lever whereby to propel said content elements.

3. In a machine of the character described, in combination with a conveyor for moving erected carton bodies in spaced relationship, along a path, a hopper for content elements, .a notched wheel turning beneath thehopper and acting to withdraw content elements, one by one, from the saidy hopper, means for driving the 'wheel' in sf timed relationshipwith saidfiirst n'ientioned-con-v veyer whereby the content' elements are accurately` positioned with respect to the open' endsl Y iingers pivoted to saidfwheel, resilient means for' pressing said fingers 'againstV said content elements and means for movingsaid fingers out of the way at the time the notches of said wheel pick up said content elements from said hopper.

e. Iny a machine ci' the character described, in

combination with a conveyor for moving erected carton' bodies in spaced relationship, along a path, a hopper for content elements', a notched wheel turning beneath the'hopper and actingto withdrawcontent elements, one byone, from the saidv hopper, means for driving the wheel in timed relationship with said first mentioned conveyor whereby the content elements are accu--v rately positioned with respect to the openends of said cartons, means for propelling the content elements from the notches of said wheel into said cartons, said last' mentionedA means comprising a pivoted lever having an end lying opposite` a content element when in position for introduction, driven means operating in timed sequence with the movements of said' wheel for rockingl said lever whereby to propel said content elements, and means for accurately positioning said content elements in the notches of said wheel,y

said means: comprising positioning fingers. pivoted.

to said wheel, resilient means for' pressing saidl fingers against said content elements andjmeans. for movinglsaid lingers out of the way at the time the notches of saidwheel'pick up saidv content elements from said hopper, said last mentioned means comprising. a fixed cam with re.-

spect to whichv said wheel rotates, said ngers being in the form ofA levers pivoted to said wheel, and having ends Ipositioned tobe engaged by said cam.

5'. In a device for filling cartons vvithxcont'enti elementameans. for moving erected cartons along.

a path, saidfcartons having leadingl andtrai-l-'ing end closure naps at the'same end as so moved, means adjacent said carton-moving means for individually bringing content elements into a-` position forl introduction into saidv moving` cai--v tons, said 1ast` mentioned' content' elements' meanscompris-ing; an endless conveyor disposed, in an;

arcuate path lying in substantially the plane: established by the movement oi' the leading and trailing end flapsr of the carton as moved by said lirst-mentioned carton moving means, whereby said content elements are moved from a position at one side of said? cartonv moving means an arcuate path toward said cartony moving means in timed relation therewith, said paths being sube stantially tangential to onev another and the movement of saidl cartons: and: said content elements being in the same' direction at the-'point of taugen-cy, whereby to bring, a leading corner' ofi a content element into; position behindI a-le'ad---V ing nap irrespective of a displaced positienci said flap.

6. Ina device for filling cartons with content elements, means for moving erected cartons along a path, said cartons having leading and trailing end closure flaps at the same end as so moved, means adjacent said carton moving means and in substantially the plane established by the movement of said leading and trailing flaps for individually bringing content elements into a position for introduction into said moving cartons, said means acting to move said content elements from a position at one side of said carton moving means in an arcuate path toward said carton moving means in timed relation therewith, said paths being substantially tangential to one another and the movement of said cartons and said content elements being in the same direction at the point of tangency, whereby to bring a leading corner of a content element into position behind a leading flap irrespective of a displaced position of said flap, the means for bringing said content elements into position comprising a wheel notched to accept said content elements, the notched portions of said wheel having edges extending beyond the accepted content elements, said wheel having an edge cooperating with one of said last mentioned edges to engage trailing carton flaps and enforce a rearward position thereof.

7. In combination, a table top, a hopper, content elements in said hopper, a shaft journaled with respect to said table top, a wheel having a plurality of notches each of a size to accommodate a content element, said wheel being mounted on Said shaft and adapted to turn beneath said hopper, conveyor means for moving erected cartons in a rectilinear path adjacent said wheel and in substantially the same plane therewith, said hopper being located on said table top to one side of said conveyor means, and timed means for turning said wheel, said shaft and said wheel being so located that said notches successively register with said hopper when said wheel is turned, content elements entering said notches by gravity when said notches register with said hopper, further turning of said wheel serving to withdraw said registered content elements from said hopper and position them with respect to said cartons for introduction therein at one point in the path of travel of said cartons.

8. In combination, a table top, a hopper, content elements in said hopper, a shaft journaled with respect to said table top, a wheel having a plurality of notches each of a size to accommodate a content element, said wheel being mounted on said shaft and adapted to turn beneath said hopper, conveyor means for moving erected cartons in a rectilinear path adjacent said wheel and in substantially the same plane therewith, said hopper being located on said table top to one side of said conveyor means, and timed means for turning said wheel, said shaft and said wheel being so located that said notches successively register with said hopper when said wheel is turned, content elements entering said notches by gravity when said notches register with said hopper, further turning of said wheel serving to withdraw said registered content elements from said hopper and position them with respect to said cartons for introduction therein at one point in the path of travel of said cartons and means operative at said pointI for propelling said content elements rapidly into saidv cartons.

9. In combination with means for moving erected cartons in spaced relationship in a path,

a stationary bearing mounted adjacent said path, a shaft rotatable in said stationary bearing, a wheel notched to accept content elements for said carton affixed to said shaft. pivoted, spring pressed locating means mounted on said wheel for locating said content elements by pressing them against sides of said notches, and a cam for operating said locating means mounted on said bearing.

10. In combination with means for moving erected cartons in spaced relationship in a path, a stationary bearing mounted adjacent said path, a shaft rotatable in said stationary bearing, a wheel notched to accept content elements for said cartons axed to said shaft, pivoted, spring pressed locating means mounted on said wheel for locating said content elements by pressing them against the sides of said notches, a cam for operating said locating means mounted on said bearing, and means for driving said shaft in synchrcnism with the means for moving said cartons whereby content elements located in the notches of said wheel are brought into position behind leading flaps of said cartons, said wheel having portions for insuring a backward position of trailing iiaps of said cartons.

11. A process of introducing content elements into cartons which comprises moving erected cartons in spaced relationship along a rectilinear path, moving content charges in spaced relationship adjacent said path in an arcuate path and in timed relationship to the movements of said cartons, bringing leading corners of said content elements behind leading flaps of said cartons, propelling said content elements rapidly into said cartons when positioned with respect thereto, and enforcing a backward position of trailing flaps of said carton while so propelling said content elements.

12. In combination, means for moving erected cartons in spaced relationship in a rectilinear path, rotary notched means for bringing content elements into position for insertion in said cartons, stationary means for moving outwardly a pair of opposite flaps of said cartons and a trailing ap thereof, the rotary positioning means being driven in timed relation to said carton moving means, and acting to bring content elements behind a leading flap of said cartons, means for propelling said content elements into said cartons, and means thereafter operating in timed sequence with said rotary means for folding said rearward flap forwardly.

RUDOLPH WM. voN SYDOW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,078,492 Fischer Nov. 11, 1913 1,794,198 Murray Feb. 24, 1931 f 1,881,845 Morris Oct. 11, 1932 1,935,269 Jones Nov. 14, 1933 1,991,223 Ledig et al Feb. 12, 1935 2,029,935 Milmoe Feb. 4, 1936 2,133,248 Jones Oct. 11, 1938 2,180,966 Salisberg Nov. 251, 1939 2,285,283 Jones June 2', 1942 2,400,695 Jackson May 2i, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 578,914 Germany June 19, 1933 

